Careers in
Interpreting
© iStockphoto.com/Yuri Arcurs
What is
interpreting?
Interpreting is the transfer of one spoken or signed language
to another. Interpreters work in a wide range of different
settings – from international conferences and business
meetings to courts and doctors’ surgeries.
Some interpreters work both ways between their mother
tongue and other language(s), in which case they must
speak or sign their other language(s) very well. Others,
such as conference interpreters, usually only work into their
mother tongue so the most important thing for them is to
have a very good understanding of their other language(s).
All interpreters need excellent knowledge of their mother
tongue: they should have a wide vocabulary, be able to use
the appropriate registers in different situations and they
must be clear and concise when speaking or signing.
What kind of work is available for trained interpreters?
In-house
interpreter
As an in-house interpreter, you are employed full-time,
part-time or on a contract basis as part of a company’s
permanent staff. In-house positions are available in large
organisations, where you are more likely to perform other
tasks in addition to interpreting including translation,
document drafting, editing or minute-taking. In some
organisations, you might specialise in one area such
as law or medicine. Working in-house provides a more
stable income but means you do not enjoy the flexibility of
working on a freelance basis.
Freelance
interpreter
Freelance interpreting allows you to build up a range
of clients and specialist subject areas. Potential clients
include international government and non-government
organisations, multinational corporations and law firms as
well as national and local government agencies including
the NHS, police forces, UK Border Agency and the courts.
You may work on very sensitive topics.
Flexibility and being your own boss are the benefits of
working freelance, but you must be disciplined to work
independently and prepared to be persistent and patient
while you build up your client base. You can combine a
part-time in-house post with some freelancing, giving you
the best of both worlds.
Conference
interpreter
Conference interpreters work in-house or on a freelance
basis, interpreting simultaneously (as the speaker or
signer is delivering) or consecutively (by taking notes and
conveying what has been said or signed when the speaker/
signer pauses).
With international institutions such as the European
Commission or United Nations, you would often work
in a booth, interpreting simultaneously into your mother
tongue to delegates wearing headsets. If working for large
multinationals or the diplomatic service, you would normally
work in bilateral meetings interpreting consecutively
or whispering. For consecutive interpreting, you need
notetaking skills, as you do not interpret until the delegate
has finished talking. Whispering uses all your simultaneous
interpreting skills, but without a microphone!
Interpreters may work in very stressful situations. Therefore
strong nerves and a mentally robust disposition are a must!
Public
service
interpreter
Public service interpreters help people to access the
services they have a right to use as UK residents. As a
freelancer, you could work for a range of public services,
including local authorities, Job Centres or the Home Office.
In-house work also offers variety – if working in a hospital
you might interpret for a woman giving birth, a child with a
broken finger and a diabetic all in the same day. You must
be able to interpret effectively into your mother tongue
and your second language, spoken or signed. You must
also be very sensitive to the circumstances and of course,
enjoy working with people.
Telephone
interpreter
Telephone interpreting is used in situations where the
individuals requiring an interpreter cannot be present in the
same place (e.g. international conference calls, help lines)
or where they are in the same place but could not plan
for an interpreter being physically present (e.g. doctors’
surgeries, police stations). As a telephone interpreter, you
would often work from home, either ‘on call’ or on prearranged calls, and usually perform ‘liaison’ interpreting
that is consecutive interpreting, both into and out of your
mother tongue. You’ll experience a great deal of variety
in your work as well as the advantages of working from
home.
Voice over
Voice over recording is increasingly in demand. It is used
in a number of different media - the news, commercial
adverts, sports events etc. You can work on a freelance
basis or as an in-house linguist, working on providing
voice overs in addition to other language services such
as interpreting and translation. Working as a voice over
recorder gives you the chance to use your language skills
in exciting fields as well as use state of the art technology
and learn a variety of recording techniques.
Interested in
Interpreting?
If you are naturally curious, able to analyse information,
can think on your feet and want to help people from
different cultures communicate, you should consider
interpreting! When you train as an interpreter, you will
develop these abilities and learn strong public speaking,
note-taking and research skills; you will learn about the
professional interpreter’s role in different contexts and
you will work on tact, diplomacy and empathy. All these
skills and your knowledge of other languages will not only
prepare you for a career in interpreting but will also make
you extremely employable in other sectors.
Produced by CILT, the National Centre for Languages in
collaboration with the Routes into Languages National
Network for Interpreting.
Led by University of Leeds, in partnership with University of
Bath, University of Salford and University of Westminster, the
National Network for Interpreting was established in order
to address the following issues: National shortage of first
language English translators and interpreters Reverse
the decline in language learning Boost interest of young
people in the professions Generate wider awareness of
interpreting needs Create greater cooperation between all
sectors of education and employer in terms of training.
For information on interpreting, please contact the National
Network for Interpreting: routes.nni@leeds.ac.uk
www.routesintolanguages.ac.uk/interpreting
For information on translation, please contact the National
Network for Translation: routes-nnt@salford.ac.uk
www.routesintolanguages.ac.uk/translation
Languages Work is a project operated by CILT, the National Centre for Languages
and supported by the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF)